Episode 1: Introduction to the Penn FTD Center Team
With Dr. David Irwin
Kicking off Season Eight with a BANG! Joined by one of the three amazing directors, Dr David Irwin, this episode inaugurates what is bound to be the most informative and tactical season yet.
Dr. Irwin is one of those people who just automatically make you feel comfortable. Talking to him felt like catching up with an old friend. Dr. Irwin is genuine, warm, polite and someone we are honored to call a new friend!
He and the entire team at the Penn FTD Center truly and deeply, deeply care about the work they do and you can feel it (even over zoom - but especially in person!). It’s such a breath of fresh air to have a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians invested in FTD with a zest for discovery and understanding.
We have enjoyed working with you, Dr Irwin, and your entire Dream Team of angels.
Onward!
-Rach + Maria
Dr. Dave appears via zoom with a sport coat and a big smile, quickly apologizing for keeping us waiting. It was 10:02, we were slatted to begin at 10:00. That’s the kind of clinician he is. After pleasantries, mic tests and headphone checks, we began with a fairly easy question for Dr. Irwin.
“What is FTD?”
Without skipping a beat, Dr. Irwin began with a simple definition explaining that FTD or (Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia or Degeneration) is a young onset form of cognitive and behavioral impairments under a spectrum of syndromes. Concentrated towards the left side of the brain, FTD provides a decline in patients over time while robbing people of the social qualities that make us human. Dr Irwin added that FTD is “a departure baseline personality,” (and that such a lightbulb way to explain it to us!).
The conversation naturally flowed into ways to describe the disease to friends and extended family and Dr. Irwin suggests that the term “neurological disorder” may help people understand on a broader level. Beyond that, he continues to explain that the AFTD has an easily printable resource for meeting with physicians.
Our chat continued to meander through the complexity of this disease until we got to the meat and potatoes…
The introduction of the Penn FTD Center Team!
Dr. Irwin spoke with such gratitude for the entire team that “feeds off each other’s energy” and gave big love to the founder of the FTD Center at Penn, the late Dr. Murray Grossman. Read more about his extraordinary work HERE.
Dr. Irwin and his exceptional team at Penn FTD Center genuinely care about this disease and the people and families that it affects. This model of care feels so exemplary as it brings all facets of support directly to the family. This truly is a team approach… It’s all hands on deck. And y’all - if that isn’t the sweetest refuge, I’m not sure what is.
AFTD Disease Overview Page with downloadable PDF of “Fast Facts”
Help & Hope Article via the AFTD (Sharing an FTD Diagnosis with Family and Friends)
AFTD Webinar on Brain Donation featuring Dr. Irwin and Lauren Massimo, PHD
Newly Diagnosed via Remember Me
